Olympic mascot costumes to inspire children recalled because wearers cannot move in them

Olympic mascots commissioned to tour schools inspiring children to be more
active have been recalled because the actors inside them can barely move.

Costumes for Wenlock and Mandeville, the London 2012 Olympic mascots, have been recalled

By Jacquelin Magnay, Olympics Editor

7:30AM BST 17 Jul 2010

The current costumes for Wenlock, the London 2021 mascot, and Mandeville, the Paralympic mascot, made it difficult for models to even wave an arm, let alone express the dynamic spirit of the Games.

It was hoped that outfits would enable the mascots to interact and play with children during school visits and outings.

But designers have been asked to go back to the drawing board to make Wenlock and Mandeville more flexible.

While the current costumed characters can shuffle along and occasionally able to raise an extremely slow jog, the newer designs will be able to grasp footballs and shake hands.

"The designers have been briefed to make the new batch of mascots as flexible as possible, although the mascots were never intended to be able to ride a bike or do a handstand," a spokesman for the The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) said.

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The one-eyed mascots have proved popular with children who have universally acclaimed them as "cool" since their launch in May.

Wenlock, who is orange and silver, and Mandeville, who is coloured blue, were intended to inspire fitness and introduce youngsters to the various Olympic sports.

An accompanying book and animated film, written by Michael Morpurgo, features the figures leaping and running and imitating the feats of world record sprinter Usain Bolt and world champion diver Tom Daley.

LOCOG has been charging sports federations, event organisers and Olympic sponsors £1100 for the mascot appearances, although the school visits so far have been free of charge.